On the brink of death
by namine redfield
Summary: After facing for the first time to the risk that supposed being firefighter when Gish tried to burn her in the elevator; Gabby has to face her fears and the nightmares. She has a hard road ahead but, will she be alone on that road or there will be someone who helps her to get over her fear? After the crossover episodes "Three bells" and "A little devil complex"


**Hi **  
**how are you? The crossover of the last week was amazing; however, I think that it could have been better if it wasn't for the end that we had on the Chicago fire episode. Why Casey and Dawson have to take a break? Of course that they are having some problems but, why they need a break of each other? Why they can't discuss what is going on between them instead of taking a break?**  
**I think that there is an important part that could have been included on the Chicago PD episode. I hope that you like this one-shot and let me some reviews with your opinion. Depending of your opinion and if you like it, I will write a second one-shot related to this whose name is going to be "Love me again"**

**Spoiler: episode 314 of Chicago Fire and 214 of Chicago PD**

**Have a nice day**

**Namine Redfield**

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On the brink of death

Gabby had just come back from Molly's after an exhausting and long day. All that she wanted to do was to sit on the couch and tries to stop of thinking that if it wasn't because of her brother and his enviable aim, she could be lying down on a hospital bed with severe burns in her body or, in the worse case she could be dead.

Every time that she closed her eyes she could see in her mind the smile that Gish had in his face while he was holding his lighter ready to burn the gasoline that he poured around her when she was stuck in the elevator. His eyes, which were lifeless like if they were the reflection of the death, were looking her closely like if he was delighted with her anguish.

A noise behind her made that she stopped of thinking in Gish and comes back to the reality. Brett had put her purse on the couch and Gabby gave a little jump on her spot of the couch; her reaction was noticed by her friend.

"You okay?" Brett took a seat on the coffee table and rubbed the forearms of her friend trying to comfort her

"Yeah" she gave her a forced smile "I am fine"

"Do you've showered again?" she asked seeing that her hair was wet. She had already taken a shower while she was on the district for giving her statement about what happened to Det. Voight. Her clothes was stained and smelt to the gasoline.

Gabby nodded trying to control her tears "I am fine. Go out and have fun" she said to her and Megan.

"We can also have fun here" Megan said taking a seat on the couch near to her "you don't have to be alone. We can watch a film and order some food" she encircled her arm around Gabby's shoulder.

"It's not necessary. Besides, I doubt that I can be a good company tonight" she gave her again a forced smile with which she tried to hide her real feelings worries "Really, I will be fine. Go out and hang out with the guys"

"Alright" Sylvie wasn't really sure if she was going to be fine by her own. However, if she knows something about Gabby, it is that she should not press her to speak when she doesn't want on the contrary she will shut down "Have you eaten something?"

"No" she took the control of the television for making that her shaking hands would stop of shaking "I am going to watch some TV and maybe I'll eat something later. I am not hungry"

"If you need something give us a call" Sylvie said before grabbing her coat. Gabby nodded again and watched them walking out of the apartment, letting her alone with her thoughts.

In reality, the last thing that she wanted in that moment was to be alone in a silent house. She would have preferred if Brett and Megan didn't go out tonight and spend the night with her; however, she thought that would be very selfish on her part and besides, she didn't want that they saw her crying.

Wanting to take her mind out of the events that happened that day, she turned on the television. Luckily, the noise will keep her distracted of her fear of being alone.

Most of the channels were talking about what had happened on Chicago that day and, for her delight no word was said about Adrian Gish and his provoked fires. That was the last thing that she needed in that moment. She didn't want to watch his pic or hear his name never again; actually, all that she wanted to do was erase of her mind to that man.

She lied down on the couch with her head pressed against the arm and continued watching the news a little longer. Little by little her eyes were getting closed; she could still hear the news on the background of the room but, she wasn't interested in them anymore. All that she wanted to do was falling asleep with the hope that tomorrow will be a new and better day of what it was today.

/

Matt was sitting on the couch of the apartment that he and Severide was sharing looking through the channels for something interesting for watching. But nothing caught his interest, so he decided to turn off the television. He was thinking of going early to bed for catching some sleep when he phone buzzed on the pocket of his jeans.

He took it and looked to the ID number. It was Gabby's brother. Maybe she has told him what happened between them and, he was angry with him for breaking the heart of his little sis "Hi Antonio" he said

"Matt" Antonio said from the other side of the line "Can you do me a favor?"

"Yeah" he said doubting of how he could help him

"It's about Gabby"

"Alright, I know what you are going to say me. I am sorry but -" he interrupted Antonio

"Shut up and listen to me Matt" Antonio said "What I have to ask you it's very important and its related with Gabby. In reality, she is who needs the favor"

"Antonio, what is going on? Did something happen to Gabby?" He said worried about her. Spite that both of them had decided to put on a hold their relationship, it doesn't mean that he doesn't care about her anymore. She is still someone really important for him.

"Nobody told you what happened few hours ago?" he asked shocked since all the firehouse fifty-one knew about what happened between her and the arsonist.

"No" he said holding his breath

"Gabby was stuck on an elevator with the arsonist who killed Lesley Shay. He almost burned she in that fucking elevator" he said trying to control his tears. The thought that he almost lost his little sister in the hands of that madman make that he wishes that Gish was alive again; He wanted to shot him one more time.

"Is she okay? In which hospital is she?" He said running to his room for grabbing his coat ready to leave.

"She is fine. She is at home trying to get some rest"

"Thanks God" he said and took a deep breath glad that she was fine

"But you know how Gabby is. She says that she is fine when in reality she isn't. You are the only one who can help her right now. She needs you. So, please help my little sister"

"I don't know if you know it but, we are putting some space between us in that moment. So, I doubt that I can be the one who can help her right now" he said hoping that Antonio didn't get mad with him

"Matt, I don't give a damn what is going on between you two right now. But, I remember you that before you become her fiancée, you were her friend. One of her best friends" he made a pause "And that is exactly what she needs in this moment. So tell me, are you his friend?"

Casey thought for a moment what he said and saw that he was right. Before starting their relationship they were friends, really good friends. They were always trying to cheer the other up when one of them was depressed. Now it was his turn to cheer her up.

"Okay. I am on my way for seeing if she is okay"

"Thanks man. Nobody except you can help her dealing with what happened in that elevator" he said before hung the call.

/  
_In her dream, if it could be defined as a dream since it was more like a nightmare, Gabby was running through the building in which Adrian Gish tried to kill her some hours ago. Gish was behind her holding a gasoline can in one hand and in the other his gold lighter; he had the same smile of satisfaction that he had when he was staring her from the top of the elevator_

_"All I want to do is watch you burn" was the only words that he said while he ran behind her like a hunter runs after its prey. That was what she was in that moment, his prey._

_"Antonio" she yelled with the hope that her brother was hiding in somewhere of the building "Help" She continued running until she twisted one of her ankles and she fell to the ground. She looked behind her and saw that Adrian stopped of running and was approaching to her walking slowly._

_"Do you know the story of the phoenix?" he said while he was pouring some gasoline. She tried to crawl as far away as she could from him but, in front of her there was a wall "It's a beautiful bird that at the end of its life settles into a nest and sets itself on fire and a new phoenix is born from the ashes" she pressed her back against the wall and wrapped her legs with her arms. Some tears were falling down her cheeks. _

_"Don't do it" she begged crying "Don't do it" she said and with her frightened eyes reached to see how he threw his lighter to the gasoline, which made that it burned immediately._

_"No" she yelled when she saw the flames reached immediately to her body._

_The flames were burning her legs and with her bare hands she was trying to extinguish the fire of her clothes but it was useless. The fire continued burning her skin under the haunting gaze of Gish. She cried aloud for help but nobody came to her help._

_"Gabby" she heard somebody calling her "Gabby, wake up"_

_"No. Please" she begged "Help. Please help me" she said to the owner of the voice_

_"Gabby, it's okay" the sweet voice of a man said "You are fine. Please open your eyes, baby" she could feel someone else's hands on her body trying to wake up her._

_"I am burning" she crying and she pushed the hands out of her body for trying to extinguish the flames that were consuming her body._

_"Gabby, you are sound and safe" The man hugged her and caressed her wet cheeks_

_"Why don't you want to help me?" she said closing her eyes letting that the flames put end to her life. _

_"Open your eyes Gabriela" the voice said _

_"Matt" she said recognizing the voice _

_"Open your eyes"_

Finally she dared to open her eyes and looked around her waiting to see that the room was on fire. However, she was in the living room of the house that she and Brett was sharing. She looked the person who had saved her of the horrible nightmare that she had and saw that it was Matt.

"Matt?" she asked crying. He nodded and gave her a soft smile that he has reserved only for her. Without thinking twice, she hugged into his body and buried her head on his chest crying. Immediately, her tears wet the sweater that he was wearing.

"It is okay" he said rubbing her trembling back "it is okay" he said comforting her "it was a nightmare. It wasn't real"

She cried on his chest for what seemed to be hours instead of a few minutes; she let that all her worries and scares disappeared with each tears that fell from her hazel eyes. Being wrapped in his arms was all that she needed in that moment. She needed to feel safe and, the only one who could gave her that security was Matt, her Matt, the sweet Matt that always has a smile on his face even when everything is wrong.

She moved off their embrace and looked him "Thanks for coming" she said. Some tears were falling down her cheeks. He rubbed her back smiling.

"Can I do something for you? Do you want to speak about your nightmare?"

"No"

"Do you want to talk about what happened in the elevator?" he asked again wanting to help her to feel better

"No" she looked down and saw they were on the floor instead of on the couch. Her jeans and hoodie were partially removed off her body letting her half bare in front of him. She guessed that while she was trying to extinguish the flames of her body in her nightmare she tried to remove her clothes. She felt stupid and embarrassed so, she rolled her eyes and looked away of Matt. Knowing what she had on mind, he took his coat and covered her body with it.

"I need to take a shower" she said holding his coat closer to her body. With his help she got up of the floor. Her hands were shaking thus, Matt grabbed them.

"Keep calm. Everything is fine. You are fine" he said with a soft voice. She gave him a nod

After erasing her tears and walked to her room for taking some clean clothes when something caught her attention. The front door of the house was broken and the door frame was splintered. She looked to Matt and he looked away while his cheeks turned red.

"I heard you yelling through the door" he said "So, I kicked it. I am sorry. I will fix it tomorrow morning" He faced her and he saw a slight smile on her lips. She was glad that he had broken the door for saving her; she wasn't sure of what would have happened if he hadn't shown up on her door.

In her room, Gabby was throwing to the floor all her clothes. She couldn't find anything comfortable to wear until she found a pair of black legging and an old Matt's hoodie that she wears to sleep in some cold nights.

With her clothes in one hand and a towel on the other, she walked to the bathroom. After opening the door, she couldn't avoid to hold her breath. The bathroom was remembering her to the elevator, the walls was of same light tone of grey that the elevator. It was like being again inside of the elevator. She closed her eyes and when she opened them she wasn't anymore in the bathroom; she looked to the ceiling and for a moment she could swear that Gish was staring her from the shaft of the elevator. She cried out and was going to walk out when she saw that Matt was behind her.

She crashed in his chest "This room is too small and claustrophobic and in some how it remembers me to the elevator" she said starting to cry again. She sat on the floor and buried her head with her hands "Make it stop Matt"

Matt sat near to her and got her into his chest "Do you want that I stay with you while you take your shower?" he asked

She looked him and asked "Will you?"

He nodded and said "You know. I have a better idea" he got up and walked to the faucet of the bathtub "Why not you take a bath? It always helps you to relax. I can put some relaxing music in my iPod" he proposed

"Alright but with one condition, you have to take the bath with me. I don't want to be alone" she said hugging to him "Please" she begged burying her face in the blade of his shoulder

"Alright. But, are you sure about that?" he asked since he didn't want to cross the line "I don't want that you feel insecure. I can call your brother or maybe your mother if you want" it wasn't that he doesn't want to take a bath with her, that was something that they used to do most of the weekend. It helped them to relax after an exhausting day. However, they have decided to take some time of each other, so, he wasn't sure of what to do.

"Matt. I know that I don't have the right to ask you that and, it is okay if you don't want. But, I need you. You are the only one who makes me feel secure. I am only secure when I am wrapped in your arms. Please" she begged

He bitted his lower lip and murmured an okay before removing his sweater. She nodded grateful that he accepted her offer of taking a bath with her like they used to do when one of them had a bad day. Both of them started to undress taking their own time. No of them dared to stare to the other one trying to avoid that the situation could be more awkward of what already was.

Matt was the first one who took a seat on the tub with his back against the bath wall. Few seconds later, Gabby joined to him sitting in front of him with her back against his chest. His hands encircled her waist and she pressed her head against the blade of his shoulder. The water was warm and peaceful around them and it was giving them the intimacy that they needed.

They were in silent for a few minutes until Matt said in a soft tone of voice that he only used for speaking with her "Talk to me"

"I can still smell and feel the gasoline in my skin" she said smelling her skin. She took her sponge for washing her skin, which was already clean "Can you rub my back, please?" she asked. He nodded and she gave him the sponge

He knew that her back was as clean as the rest of her body was; however, he took the sponge and carefully washed her ebony skin. He could feel her back tense under his touch. When he was done, he placed the sponge out of the bath and far away of Gabby; he didn't want that she could obsess.

"Thanks" she said and rested her back in his chest again. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, she felt ready to speak about what happened and why she was so scared "In my nightmare, I was burning and nobody came to help me" Matt got her body closer to his and like if he wanted to erase her nightmare, he brushed her short hair with one hand. His other hand was still encircled her waist holding her for remembering her that she wasn't alone "I was burning and he was laughing" she continued saying

"He is dead and he is not going to come back"

"But, he is still on my mind" she

He turned her face for facing her and said "You can't let him to win this battle" and he kissed her cheek

"How you do it?" she asked softly after some seconds of silence, her head was pressed against his chest and their hands were wrapped about her stomach.

"How I do what?" he asked not knowing what she meant

"How you could be on the brink of death every day and don't be afraid of it?" she said looking to his eyes.

He erased the tears that was falling down her cheeks and said "I am not going to lie. It is not easy. I still remember the first time that I had to face to death" he said remembering his time as candidate of the firehouse fifty-one "I was a candidate and, I was trapped in the middle of a room that was in fire. I can still feel the heat of the flames in my back. I was really scared. I stayed paralyzed while my partner was yelling me that I had to move before the floor could collapse under my feet. Luckily, Mouch took me out of the building before something could have happened to me"

"How did you get over it?" she asked curiously since it was the first time that she heard his story

"It was hard. At first, I was scared of entering in a burning building. I couldn't go inside because I was scared. I was even thinking of giving up in being a firefighter" He explained and she could feel that he was still scared of that day "luckily; Mouch took me under his wings and helped me to get over it. We made some drills and, I became his shadow in the fires until I regain my trust on myself"

"I don't know if I am going to continue being a firefighter" she said "I was pretty scared when I smelt the gasoline and saw the lighter. My only thought was "God I am going to die. Thus, I doubt that I will go inside of a burning building again"

"Gabby. That is normal"

"It's not normal Matt. I am a firefighter; I was trained for being prepared for that kind of situation"

"Gabby, you are never ready when you leave the academy. You go to a firehouse when you are ready enough. You have to gain the confidence with each fire, with each car accident. That is the only way in which you can be a firefighter" He made a small pause and said "You are a hell of firefighter and you are going to get over this. I promise you. So, please don't give up."

"You think so?" she asked looking to him

"I will help you"

"Will you?" she asked slightly smiling

"Yeah, starting for now" Being careful with her, he got out of the tub and grabbed a towel for him and other for her "You have to eat something and catch some sleep. You will feel better on the morning"

"I can't eat anything right now" she said getting out of the tub too. He gave her a serious look and she added "Alright, I will try to eat something" She took the towel and wrapped it around her bare body.

"I brought some pizza and beers" he said putting on his jeans when his body was dry "We can watch a film like we used to do on the old time"

"That would be nice" she said smiling for the first time since her nightmare started. She finished of getting ready and with his help, they tidied the bathroom.

"Let's go, i am starving"

"You are always hungry" she joked. He circled her shoulder with his arm and they walked to the living room "It is with extra of cheese?" she said before opened the box of the pizza

"Of course that is with extra of cheese. Do you think that I have forgot which is your favorite pizza?" he said trying to sound hurt

"Of course not" she laughed and grabbed a piece of pizza "Did you go to the pizzeria that is on the west side of the city?" she asked when she recognized the draw that the box has on the front.

"Yeah. You love that place. So, why not?" he said shrugging.

"You are the best" she said and both of them sat on the couch ready to spend some time together like they used to do when they were friends.

Both of them knew that maybe doesn't mean anything the fact that they had taken a bath together or that they were going to hang out on the couch watching a comedy film while they were eating pizza and drinking some beer. However, it was probably that it could be exactly what both of them needed in that moment; they needed to spend some time out of the problems that they were having and be only centered in them. They needed to find what brought them together on the past, what they love of the other and what made that they wanted to spend the rest of their life together. Maybe that was the only way in which they were going to be able to solve their differences and have a new start in the future.

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**I hope that you like this new one-shot and let me your opinion. I am thinking in writing another one-shot related to that one and with some spo****iler that I found on internet about what is going to happen in the next couples of episodes. But, I will only write it if I have requests. The title of the one-shot is going to be "Love me again"**

**Have a good day**  
**Namine Redfield**


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